Luke_A_Somers comments on Why I Am Not a Rationalist, or, why several of my friends warned me that this is a cult - Less Wrong

12 Post author: Algernoq 13 July 2014 05:54PM

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Comment author: Luke_A_Somers 20 July 2014 06:28:14PM *  0 points [-]

Here's the problem with your attempting to apply Motte and Bailey to that:

If challenged on those other things, we do not reply that 'rationalism is just science/reason helps people be right, how could you possibly oppose it?' Well, except for the last, which really seems like that actually addresses the problem.

So, it's just a perfectly ordinary (and acceptable) sequence of progressively more controversial claims, and not a Motte-and-Bailey system.

Comment author: Algernoq 21 July 2014 10:02:34PM 1 point [-]

Different members act as different parts of the motte and bailey: some argue for extreme things; others say those extreme things are not "real" Rationalism

Comment author: Luke_A_Somers 22 July 2014 02:57:51PM 0 points [-]

That structure makes it not motte and bailey - the motte must be friendly to the bailey, not hostile to it!